Barb the Last Berzerker by Dan Abdo , Jason Patterson

Release: September 28, 2021
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Source: TBR and Beyond Tours
Find it at: Goodreads , Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Book Depository , IndieBound , Indigo

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power meets Dav Pilkey’s Dog Man in this sidesplitting graphic novel about a young Berzerker who has to rescue her fellow warriors from the evil villain Witch Head before he destroys the world!

Barb is a Berzerker, one of a group of warriors sworn to protect the land of Bailiwick from the scourge of monsters that plagues it. But the fearsome crew seem to have met their match in the nefarious Witch Head. Using power from his magical sword, he tricked the Zerks and took them captive. Only Barb was able to escape—and she took Witch Head’s Shadow Blade with her.

Now it’s up to Barb to free her fellow warriors so they can stop Witch Head from taking over Bailiwick. On the way, she’ll battle vampire goat fiends, snot goblins, and a giant with serious foot odor issues (but don’t mention that to him—he’s very sensitive about it). Luckily, she’s got her best friend, Porkchop the yeti, to help her.

But the power of the Shadow Blade has a mind of its own, and the deeper Barb gets into her quest, the harder it is to keep the blade’s awesome power under control.

About the Author:

Dan Abdo and Jason Patterson are long-time partners, best friends and co-creators of the animated comedy series Rocket Monkeys.

Their credits also include developing shows for Disney, Sesame Workshop, Fox, and Nickelodeon, not to mention directing lots and lots of animated commercials!

Website | Instagram | Tumblr | Facebook

Barb the Last Berzerker Review:

I loved reading “Barb the Last Berzerker.” The story is adventurous, cute, funny, and thrilling at the same time.

I can easily see this becoming a hit animated TV series on Netflix. There is so much that Barb goes through to save the other Berzerkers. Barb is awesome! Although she is small in size, her bravery and confidence shine in the tale. I loved her adventures with her adorable sidekick Porkchop, whether they go to find berries at the Bear Beast cave or step onto the Razor Beak Ridge. It was also lovely to see how the two became friends in the flashbacks. Similarly, the tale’s villain, Witch Head, is also so deliciously evil and keeps the story exciting by the numerous ways to retrieve the Sword.

Moreover, the story is so creative in terms of world-building. I loved reading about mer-goblins, shadow bats, snot goblins, and much more. One of my favorite moments is when Barb encounters the Grom and has to fight it. Another magical moment is the scenes that Barb shares with her mother. I loved how the book made me go through various emotions.

Also, the creators blended the story and characters beautifully with eye-catching illustrations. The graphics are vibrant yet straightforward that will make you appreciate the comic. I also laughed out loud at many moments, like when the monsters referred to Barb as Brenda. Moreover, the story ends in a shocking cliffhanger that makes you want to immediately pick up the next book and find out what happened.

Overall, “Barb the Last Berzerker” is a brilliant graphic novel filled with humor, action, and adventure, memorable lead characters. I loved reading every minute of the story.